LEWISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A Pennsylvania judge is hearing from mental health professionals about whether he should treat three young men accused in a rock-throwing incident that severely injured a woman as juveniles or adults.
Union County Judge Michael Sholley heard from a psychotherapist and two psychologists Thursday as defense attorneys argued their clients, 17 at the time of last year’s ordeal, should be in juvenile court.
The three are accused of assault and other offenses for the incident that resulted in brain and other injuries to schoolteacher Sharon Budd, who traveled from her Ohio home to attend the pretrial proceedings.
A fourth defendant, who was 18 at the time of the attack, began serving jail time earlier this month even though Sholley hasn’t yet accepted his no contest plea to a conspiracy charge.